10 More Vegan Hot Drinks (Compilation #5)

 It's been a year since I have put out one of these compilations, but here we are in warm drink season again, so I've got a bunch of new things to share--some more familiar to the masses than others, but all delicious, caffeine free, and vegan (as I made them, anyway).

Some of these were pantry challenge specials and some weren't intended to be, but I don't think I've ever purchased anything specifically to make a drink. I tend to just make things with what I have around. I do think, though, that if you're avoiding the grocery store, trying something new with what you have around can make it more pleasant and diminish feelings of deprivation, and because of that, I've been making myself more lattes. If you've got soy milk and a few other pantry staples, you can often make a special drink to start off your day. And starting out in a good way can set a tone for us, so it does matter.

1. Gajar Halwa Latte (Gluten Free, Soy Free Option)

Gajar Halwa is, of course, one of my favorite Indian desserts--a creamy, spiced carrot dish that I don't think I can easily compare to anything else. Kind of a lumpy pudding, maybe? But this is smooth, of course. This is a recipe from Nourish Deliciously. If you're looking for more ways to incorporate veggies in the morning, it might be a good option! I found that it wasn't quite sweet enough for me, but a bit of date syrup cleared that right up. I made the whole recipe and had it in thirds over the course of three mornings, made with soy milk for the protein, and had alongside bagels spread with chia jam. It was perfect for the chilly spring mornings. It also let me use some of that saffron I bought on clearance a while ago with no clear plans to put it in things--maybe I'm not usually fancy enough for saffron, but it did make this something special.

2. Spiced Pitaya Steamer (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

This is a recipe from Unicorn Super Foods, spicier than most such drinks I've made. I used soy milk. You may want to scale back on the ginger if you don't want something super hot. But if it's a particularly chilly morning? You'll love a mug of this. My one complaint is that it didn't make very much--so double the recipe, I would say, and you know I mean that because I never say such things.

3. Spiced Date Milk (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

This is akin to molasses milk, but uses date syrup instead of molasses. You warm a mixture of 1 cup soy milk, 2 teaspoons date syrup, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and a dash of cardamom on the stove, whisking to incorporate. When it's hot, pour into a mug and serve. It's easy, but also, delicious!

4. Coconut Milk Latte (Gluten Free, Soy Free)

Sometimes, we're just not in the mood for a soy latte. This coconut milk latte (recipe from One Sweet Appetite) has a rich, coconutty flavor that is just right on some mornings. I used light coconut milk but I could also see this being delicious with regular, full fat coconut milk (and that would probably be frothier). I loved this on a morning I didn't need to boost the protein of my meal (and therefore also didn't need the soy milk).

5. Maple Tahini Latte (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

Getting through an ill-advised purchase of a container of Sanka has been easier than I thought, because it gives me the chance to try a lot of new drinks. One of those was this maple tahini latte from Love Chef Laura. I love maple syrup and I love tahini, so of course I love it in a drink like this! I made mine with soy milk, so my version is nut free; you can easily make it with another plant milk if you need to avoid soy.

6. Salted Cashew Latte (Gluten Free)

I adore cashew butter. It makes smoothies ambrosia, tastes great on toast, and elevates a banana to a main dish. In latte form, obviously, it's also amazing. You can find this recipe at A Saucy Kitchen. If you like cashew butter as much as I do, I think you'll also love this.

7. Peanut Butter Gingerbread Latte (Gluten Free)

This is an easy recipe from Easy Brawd. It's essentially spiced plant milk, peanut butter, and a date blended until smooth and then mixed with my usual substitute for espresso (strong brewed grain coffee). This has a thicker texture than many lattes, more like a hot chocolate. I loved it!

8. Maple Pumpkin Latte (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

Although the pumpkin spice latte has a hold on much of fall, it's not the only pumpkin latte you can have. This maple pumpkin latte is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom--the flavor difference may be subtle, but it's good. The recipe is from Heartbeet Kitchen. I made it with some grain-based coffee substitute and and soy milk. My tastes may be changing slightly, because I found it a little sweeter than I wanted, but that's easy to change--next time I'll use a bit less maple syrup. It was still delicious and definitely worth a try.

9. Pumpkin Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

Tired of your stereotypical cold-weather drinks? Why not combine two of the most stereotypical and have something new? I made the chocolate variation of this recipe from Country Hill Cottage with maple syrup and soy milk. I then added marshmallows for good measure (Dandies mini vanilla). It all felt delightfully cozy!

10. Sea Salt Peanut Butter Latte (Gluten Free)

This is a recipe from Kale Junkie. It's sweetened with dates and some chocolate chips, but it's not a chocolatey drink. Just like coffee enhances chocolate flavors, I think maybe chocolate enhances coffee flavors somehow. In any case, this was a wonderfully balanced and intriguing drink. I made it with Sanka, but of course you can make it with regular coffee if that's your jam. Don't skip the flaky sea salt garnish--it really adds something special.

Stay warm, everyone!